The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
GIBLETS' CHRISTM A S
PRESENT.
BY w. s. HARDWOOD.

L may Just as well tell you now,
Smithy, once for all, that the res no use
in your trying me any longer. L won't
be mixed up in any such business. You
may just as we'll leave me alone and go
back where you came from, for tell you
I'm going to stand by Mr.. Langley what
ever comes"
"But see here now, Giblets."
Sim not 'Giblets' any more I want
you TO understand. I'm Bert Smith =
that's my name now and don't you call
me, Giblets, again."
"All right-Bert, then. il that suits
you any better, I'm sure it don't make
any difference to me. Now, what I want.
ed to say to you when You interrupted me
so was this: I'm onto the fact that your
old man Langley has pile of yellow
sinners up in his house. When you we're
in the city before you got sent off out
West on one of those newsboys' excur-
sions. You couldn't ha' held off a min
ute if I'd asked you to help sneak a
store or crack safe. Now why can't
you see things to your own interest? You
needn't be known in the enterprise, OF
course; you needn't take any part in the
proceedings if you don't want to-just
help us out little and keep mum, and
you can get enough pocket-money to last
you many day, or you could go long to
Europe with me and Mike. Giblets-no,
I mean Bert, why won't you come out of
your shell?"
The two speakers were a man and a
boy. The former was strong, power
fully built fellow with sinewy frame.
His face was intelligent and it might have
been handsome once, but it was scanned
and lined with sin now, and the most cas-
ual of observers would shrink from the
evil leer of his crafty countenance. The
boy was neatly dressed. His small stunt
ed stature proclaimed him very young,
but his face, precocious to sad degree,
indicated that he was much older. He
had been sent out from the city few
years before in one of the job lots of
newsboys and bootblacks periodically
collected for shipment to country towns
Nobody would take the wan, white-faced,
sickly-looking "Giblets." The bigger
stronger boys, and the healthy looking
younger ones found ready market
among the busting farmers who came in
to the little town, but Giblets wasn't
wanted-"He il tew white livered fer the
farm" was the blunt way one farmer put
it. Old farmer Langley happened in the
store in the afternoon after all the rest of
the boys had been parceled out and
found little Giblets asleep on a dry goods
box down in one corner of the room.
Everybody in the county knew sold man
Langley" He was the richest man in
that section; he had a magnificent farm;
he had held the position OF county repre-
sentative in the State legislature, and he
was a man Of keen native intelligence.
But some way the old man had the rep
utation of being pretty hard hearted,
close-fsted old chap, though all united in
saying that he "war uncommon good ter
his old wife,"
"Hullo, here, who air your" were the
words with which he greeted the boy.
"Pm Giblets, sir"
"Giblets? wal of tibet amt pretty
name fer a boy ter hev-Giblets! Say,
wizard yer git it? Wuz yer daddy a tar
key?" and the old man laughed immoder-
ately at his joke.
Z" I amt got no father"
"Waal thet's unfort'nit-no father an
yer names Giblets-yer purity bad off for
a fact Wizard yer cum from?"
New York, SIR"
ooh hol yer one Nv those thievin' city
newsboys, air yer? Cum out hyar ter
spread moral pizen among our boys, ter
lie an steal an swar an fight an git inter
all manner of deviltry, an then go back
ter the city agin. Yer precious lot of
rascally scamps for a fact. But what
makes yer so consumed white an thin?
Look zif yer main diet war chalk. STAN
up hyar once an let's hev look at yer"
The little fellow arose from the box,
forlorn specimen of boyhood indeed, with
AuBkCu Oup. db-u -huooe tIOu5cT5, Ouly Ouo
suspender, dirty shirt and rimless hat
for his wardrobe unwashed-
wholly woebegone.
"Waal," said the old man as he looked
the boy over, "ef yer amt about the most
onerary critter ever sot my eyes on then
yer kin hev my head for football. Say,
Giblets, what,ll yer take ter let me tie
pole ter yer an sot yer up in the corn
this summer? Thar amt crow on airth
but what would turn white ct he saw yer
shape in the distance from mortal fear
what wal I'll be consumed ef yer amt
cryin'l WAL, wal, wouldn't ha' thought
yer ever did SIGH thing in yer life. Sho,
now Giblets, its too bad I made fun on
yer-thar, thar, now stop yer snifflin' an
go out thar an git up inter my Democrat
wagon of yer want ter go home with Their
meanest man in Carson county. Cum,
git or long thar" as the old man with
surprisingly tender action gave the little
fellow a pat on the head-"git right up
thar an I'll take yer out home nth me.
Mind now, Giblets, 1 don't say ez I'll
keep yer, that'll depen'. May be won't
more'n take yer home an give yer cold
bite-hit'll Deepen on how yer act an how
yer strike my wife Nancy. Yer look zif yer